Tips for Preparing Effective PP Slides    03/24/2013    10:51 -0400

Today, with the vast resources of the internet at your fingertips, finding information on any subject is relatively simple. It is no longer necessary to dig through card catalogs in the library nor search dusty shelves to find books or articles related to your sub-topic.

While it is infinitely easier to locate information on the internet today, the vast amount available out there can, and often is, overwhelming. The difficulty facing most students is how to select, prioritize, and organize the necessary and appropriate information.

General tips -

The PP outline submitted with your team’s draft PP presentation should be similar to but NOT THE SAME AS the paper outline already submitted. It should show what general information you will be verbally presented, although not work-for-word, as well as the sequence of the presentation.

Develop a comprehensive outline for the presentation, no matter its topic. This is comparable to a blueprint used when building a home. It shows how the different pieces relate and provides detailed information. IT IS NOT the same as the DID paper outline, but rather has items selected from that one.

Make certain the outline presents the information in a logical, sequential manner. For the DID assignment, each time period/section should be organized chronologically.

Only the MOST IMPORTANT or KEY information should be included in any presentation, no matter how long. In the case of the DID assignment, each person's presentation is to be between 7 and 9 minutes. That is not much time and the presentation must be carefully planned if it is to be effective.

Indicate in the outline where each slide will appear, how long you expect to leave the slide on the screen and what general comments you will make while the slide is on the screen. The actual script SHOULD NOT be written because you will not be reading from the outline nor the content shown on the slide.

Any event/discovery on a slide, should INCLUDE A DATE OR ERA  associated with it. Do not assume the audience knows that.

 Make certain that graphs and charts are large enough to be easily seen. Use as much space as available on the slide. Put any text on top of the graph in an area where it can be easily read.

Design of Slides -

Type Face Selection - All type faces used, for both titles and text material on your slides, should be ARIAL  or ARIAL NARROW,  NOTHING ELSE IS TO BE USED.  That can be set automatically in the entire presentation by clicking on the "View" tab, and then "Slide Master".  Click on the "Headline" and "Text" boxes, one at a time, and set them for either ARIAL or ARIAL NARROW. Click the "Normal" image to return to the slide series and save the changes you made.  Use boldface to make important words standout more.

Normally both upper and lower case letters should be used. Words in all CAPITAL LETTERS are more difficult to read and should be used sparingly.

Slide Design -  Click on the "Design" tab and then "Background Styles."  Select a simple design with a plain background. Nothing complex should be used which could reduce the readability of the slide's text. The MOST IMPORTANT consideration is how easily the information can be read, NOT HOW FANCY THE SLIDE LOOKS.

 It is usually a good idea to include a slide or illustration on each slide, if an appropriate one can be located. Doing that doesn't cost anything and can add interest as well. 

Make sure to include slide numbers on each slide.

Check "Sample" slides. Eliminate extra, unnecessary  words, keep the slides simple.